Journey into the Unknown
by FringeDivision2008
Summary: Olivia's recovery and slowly learning to accept her life again, especially Peter. Can they make it back or was it doomed from the start as star-crossed lovers?


Journey into the Unknown

Spoilers: Season 1, Season 2, Season 3(Olivia, The Box, The Plateau, Do Shapeshifters Dream of Electric Sheep, Amber 31422, 6955 kHz, The Abducted).

Disclaimer: If I owned Fringe...Olivia would be on the right side and with Peter.

* * *

It strikes her as odd the moment she steps into Massive Dynamic's Morgue. No one knows she's down here, apparently her new security pass allows her anywhere but the first place she went was the morgue.

She searches the drawers, running her hand along each tag to check for a name and finally she finds the one she's looking for: Dunham, Olivia 'Alternate' and opens the drawer.

The shot had been clean, to the head with no mess. She looked as if she was just sleeping, a hole in her head the sleeping pill given.

Olivia notices the report on her body, it held where she was going to go for burial and what she would wear. She's just scheduled for cremation and ashes dumped anywhere.

She finds a new sheet and rewrites the order for burial in New York and would wear her Fringe Division uniform, Olivia would have one made quickly.

The sound of the door made her look up, she found Peter staring at her. She ignored him as she knew she would and finished writing out the orders before signing them and laying the new sheet on her alternate's body.

"Stand Tall, Stand Strong...Stand for All. Through Darkness and End's Hour, United We Stand for the World. Fringe Division Live Long." Olivia looked at her alternate and pushed the drawer back in.

"So that's their motto?"

She threw away the old orders, "did you deliver the kill shot?"

"I had to, she was going to harm a civilian, to be honest I never thought I'd have actually killed her, just wound her." He began to walk over, "what did you do Olivia?"

She still refused to meet his eyes, she still couldn't. "I did what any decent person would do, I'm making sure she's not forgotten. If you'll excuse me, I have to go uniform shopping."

She walked out and Peter looked at the drawer, surprised that Olivia was trying to humanize her counterpart who was as cold as a snake. However, he also knew that Olivia was like that, caring for all...even the enemy...even the woman that destroyed her life.

* * *

The first time she actually looks him in the eye, is a week back on the job. A car drives straight at them down an alley they are looking at for evidence. He pushes her into a wall and holds her there as the car speeds past them. For the first time since she first came home, her eyes lock with his and all he sees is the unbidding love she has for him and a small sliver of betrayal, but mostly the love.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded, "yeah, I'm just not used to this world again...I didn't see it coming. Thank you Peter."

"I'm always going to have your back, even when you don't trust me." He moved away and started looking again. "But in all response, I understand why you don't...hell I don't trust me."

* * *

The first time they hold an actual conversation for longer then a few seconds is during their second case since her arrival. It lasts not a minute or five or even ten but two hours, so much Astrid has to come find them as they were in the Massive Dynamic Cafeteria.

He has her laughing by the time Astrid finds them, the laughter he missed so much.

"So then Walter decides...oh how about silent and deadly, needless to say...it was."

Olivia laughed, "Walter will always be Walter."

"Yeah, tell me about it...now I have a habit of standing at least five feet away...for my senses' safety." He looked at her cup, "need a refill?"

"Yeah, thanks."

He came back with another cup of coffee and saw about to sit down when Astrid came over looking frantic. "Thank God, Walter couldn't find you and he thought you crossed back over. Not that I believed him but the moment you disappear, both of you...you do realize you both have been gone for two hours right?"

Peter looked at his watch, "we do now, tell Walter we'll be right up."

"Okay." She left and Olivia stood, taking her coffee from him.

"Back to insanity."

Peter chuckled, "actually back to normal...this insanity has become normal for us."

* * *

They finish the case and she surprises him, asking him for drinks. She tells him straight out its to celebrate...not a date and all he does is laugh saying he'd need a few dozen drinks before he could date her...so not to confuse her and her dead alternate. He managed to get a smile from her, an actual smile.

He orders a bottle of whiskey, the bottle not shots...but did ask for two shot glasses with it. Olivia sat at the table with a deck of cards, counting them he assumed.

"Okay," he set the bottle down and then the shot glasses, "your favorite and I managed to get them to let me have an entire unopened bottle."

Olivia smiled and watched as he poured them each a shot, Peter saw her smile was an actual smile that met her eyes. "Thanks Peter."

"No need to thank me, I'll be making up the last few months for the rest of my life."

* * *

The first time they discussed anything past friendship was over a long drawn out case in New Hampshire...both decided to compare notes...they had split up earlier to cover more ground, something Peter had not been happy about.

They sat on his hotel bed reviewing notes when Olivia spoke about something not case related at all but instead about them.

"I'm free this Friday, barring any unseen disaster." She was still reviewing the notes when he looked up, curious.

"Okay, what's Friday?"

She shrugged, "that new Italian place opened up on Mason Ave. and I want to go." Her eyes met his for only a brief second before turning back to the notes. "You know, Walter said that Colleen Watson was nearly drained of all her blood, if I'm correct you'd need medical tools or possibly embalming tools to do that."

They started looking into the local mortuary and Peter popped a comment the next day. It was about her comment the day before.

"I'll pick you up at six," he looked at her as they searched the local mortuary. "That's if nothing disastrous happens, but then again you never know with this job."

"Six?"

He nodded, "reservations are for seven thirty, just attach CEO to Massive Dynamic and show its true...I got us reservations."

She chuckled, "six it is, I'll be ready."

* * *

Its not a date...its just dinner. Peter would never associate the word 'date' with Olivia again because she deserved to be courted not dated...not that it made any sense to her when she asked if he was enjoying their date.

She wore a black dress and her hair up in a nice bun, he knew she was trying to look more 'girly' for him but to be honest...he didn't like it. He'd have to be brainless not to find her stunning and she was but it just didn't scream 'Olivia' to him...it was more a Rachel-move.

"You look stunning tonight?" He smiled at her as they walked to the car, "just..."

She turned and looked at him, "just isn't me?"

He chuckled, "I'd have to say 'no' because as stunning as you look, you aren't the dress up type. You're more the 'run after suspects, get dirty and look sexy as hell doing it' type, I'd prefer her to this. Next time, feel free to wear one of your suits."

"Would you believe me if I said Rachel shoved this at me and wouldn't let me leave without it on, I practically had her standing over me the entire time. Of course she was nice enough to get black, that red dress she was looking at...I wouldn't have been able to leave the house in it."

Peter chuckled, "yeah I'd believe it," he opened the passanger door for her, "your chariot awaits your highness."

Olivia smiled and got in, "you're no prince charming."

"Thank God for small miracles."

* * *

He took her home and walks her to the door before saying goodnight, its too early for a kiss and they both know it. He receives a text right as he's walking into the house he shares with Walter.

**From Olivia:**

**I had a great time 2nite, thanx u 4 it. U just 4got 1 thing. C U 2morrow, get some sleep Bishop, U looked like crap last case.**

He chuckled knowing what she thinks he forgot and went to bed dreaming about her.

* * *

Two cases later, after a near shooting they kiss after she slaps him across the face. He'd never seen her look as angry as she was, not even after she came back. Her eyes were filled with love, just that not anger or disappointment or even fear, just love.

"Hey," he looked at her as she entered his hospital room. "Come to spring me?"

She walked over and looked at him, "you did what I said not to do, you went after him. How could you be so reckless?"

"You got him didn't you?"

She touched his bandaged arm, "at your expense...you're insanely lucky it was just a graze."

"You know what I say about insanity and luck..." he never was able to finish as her hand connected with his cheek. After flexing his jaw, he looked at her to see her arms folded and her eyes narrowed. "Okay, what the hell was that for?"

"If you ever do that to me again Bishop, I'll shoot you myself." She looked at him, "you follow my orders, you don't go play FBI Agent when you're just a consultant, who doesn't have a gun issued to him."

Peter looked at her and gently put his hand out, pulling her towards him and she relented, moving over and sat on the bed beside him. "I'm sorry 'Livia, I promise it won't happen again." He touched her face and she leaned into his hand, "I promise Sweetheart."

"I just don't want to loose you again."

"You won't, come here."

She moved into his arms and he held her, Olivia rested her head on his chest, careful of his shoulder and arm. She pulled back a few moments later and looked at him, it was more instinctual then anything but Peter pulled her towards him and kissed her.

The kiss wasn't mind-blowing or passionate or even set off fireworks...it was quick and over before it even begun but that didn't matter. All that mattered was the look in her eyes afterwards.

* * *

Walter was the first to bring up sex, of course this was five months into their dating-courting if you asked him- and Peter nearly died from what was said. Olivia was scarred for sure, her face red and also in shock. They never expected tact from Walter but his questions were out of the blue and very personal...especially when they hadn't had sex yet.

"Olivia," Olivia looked at Walter as he walked over to where she and Peter stood reviewing notes over their current case. "I wanted to know something personal?"

"Well you already know my life so just ask?" She leaned against the counter and looked at him.

Walter smiled, "excellent...I want to know if Peter satisfies you."

"Pardon?"

"Sex my dear, I have the perfect..."

"Whoa!" Peter put his hands up, "what the hell, where is this coming from?"

Olivia looked down embarrassed, she never expected that to be asked. Walter just chuckled, "its been known that orgasms improve conception."

Peter just stared and Olivia was speechless, she let him take it. "Walter, we've been together five months, we're not ready for kids."

"Oh, okay." He moved away but turned back, "but Son, remember that you need to keep up the reputation of our family...our prowlness."

He left and Peter shook his head, "he did not just do that...he did not just ask that!"

"So this prowlness?" Olivia looked at him, "it runs in the family?"

"Oh God, you're going to be the death of me if he isn't." Peter walked away and Olivia laughed.

* * *

The first 'I love you' was on a random day at a random time while on a case...and she said it first. It was eight months into their relationship and they were knee deep in a garbage dump, looking for evidence in the case.

Both wore protective suits and masks, poking at things with sticks while wearing gloves. Both were sweating from the July heat as they looked through the dump, it's stench had nearly drove them away but Peter saw if she was willing to go in, he'd have to follow.

"Oh now that is just wrong!" Peter held up his stick and Olivia looked over to see a shirt with a picture of a naked man on it hanging from the pole. "There's no dignity left in the world...none at all."

She chuckled and bent down, pushing things aside with her hands before picking up a suitcase.

"Found it."

"Thank God, another minute hear and I'd have to ask for your gun."

She looked at him, "why?"

"Seriously, Sweetheart look around you...a garbage dump in the middle of July. As sexy as you are with your hair plastered to your head by sweat and wearing that tank top...not exactly where I'd like to be...but the alternate view is enough."

She laughed and stood, "same from my view too...let's get back and get a few showers."

* * *

They began walking and Peter looked down when he slipped on something, causing him to fall back on everything. "Oh come on." He slowly stood up, "I mean, its bad enough I smell from being out here but this..."

Olivia laughed again and shook her head, "you know I still love you even if you smell horrible right?"

He looked at her in surprise, "did you just say what I think you said?"

"That I love you, congratulations Mr. Bishop, you aren't deaf."

"I love you too Sweetheart, let's get back...I need a shower or four."

* * *

The showers were long and they were next to each other in different stalls. Talking about what was found in the suitcase as they did. Olivia was out first and she began getting dressed when Peter exited in a towel.

"Hand me that spare towel."

Olivia looked over her shoulder while pulling on her black tank top. Afterwards she took a towel from the rack and placed it around his neck. "You should get dressed, we can't have you walking around Massive Dynamic in just a towel...women would be throwing themselves at you and then I'd have to shoot them."

"Why's that?"

She chuckled and leaned in, "because no one can have you...no one but me."

He looked at her, eyeing her up and down, she stood in only black panties and a black tank that covered her bra. "I'd have to agree, get dressed before I have to shoot some men."

"That's illegal, at least I have a reason to have the gun." She returned to her locker and withdrew her usual summer work suit, a short sleeve blouse and slacks.

* * *

The final act of trust came on a year mark, on their one year anniversary. He took her to dinner and they curled up in bed afterwards watching a movie. She surprised him with a gift, one that he'd only been requesting for three years.

"I got you something." She leaned over and opened her nightstand drawer, withdrawing a blue box.

He looked at her, "but I didn't get you anything."

She smirked, "you'll think of something, just open it."

He opened the box and found an gun wrapped in a red bow laying inside. He laughed as he pulled it out. "A gun?"

"Broyles approved it a week ago," she smiled and watched as he looked at the weapon. "It's about time you begun carrying one."

Peter put the gun back in the box and placed it aside before leaning down to kiss her. Olivia pulled him down and smiled.

"I love you."

"And I love you, now about this gift business...only one thing comes to mind."

Olivia smirked and whispered in his ear, "its been two weeks because of the damn case, I've been waiting Bishop."

* * *

Peter shook his head, "actually, well we can do that but also this." He dug under his pillow and pulled out a small white box. "Open it."

Olivia opened the box and found a small velvet jewelry box, she opened that to find a beautiful engagement ring. A diamond with two emeralds flanking it and it all sat on a gold band. "Peter?"

"Olivia Dunham, will you marry me?" He took the ring from the box before she could answer and slid it on her finger.

"Yes, of course yes." She kissed him and looked at her ring, she noticed something edged inside the band and removed it, reading the engraving within the band: _I belong with you._ "It's..."

"The truth, its the most meaningful thing ever said to me...what you said when you came to get me." He kissed him, "now about that anniversary gift..."

Olivia reached over and turned out the light, knowing as she did...her journey back to life was complete.

* * *

A/N: Just watching the promos for Entrada and thought about this, its a quick one before it airs.


End file.
